Join Andy Smith of Smith's Smokehouse and delve into the basics of charcuterie through a series of four workshops. Learn how to create your own charcuterie goods, and potential business, and then dig deep into a variety of curing processes including bacon, bresaola, beef jerky and more! Don't forget to register for this course, we only have 10 spots available. The complete series is $350 for MOFGA members and $400 for non-members. Each session will take place at Smith's Smokehouse; bring your own lunch. If you have any questions, email Anna Mueller at events@mofga.org.

Organic and Sustainable Agriculture News

Special Report: Syngenta's campaign to protect atrazine, discredit criticsEnvironmental Health News - 6/17/2013. By Clare Howard - To protect profits threatened by a lawsuit over its controversial herbicide atrazine, Syngenta Crop Protection launched an aggressive multi-million dollar campaign that included hiring a detective agency to investigate scientists on a federal advisory panel, looking into the personal life of a judge and commissioning a psychological profile of a leading scientist critical of atrazine.

Frogs feminized, but atrazine's effects on people uncertainEnvironmental Health News - 6/17/2013. By Brian Bienkowski and Marla Cone - Atrazine, one of the most widely used farm pesticides in the United States, has feminized male frogs and other animals in some scientific studies. But research examining potential effects in people is relatively sparse.

Augusta Civic Center. MOFGA offers free presentations and discussions, open to the public, on sustainable agriculture. Schedule here. No pre-registration required. MOFGA also has an information exhibit all three days of the show. Staff and committee members are available to answer questions about our ongoing programs. MOFGA members are encouraged to attend the association's annual meeting from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Jan. 9.

4 sessions, Jan. 16 to Feb 6. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Smith's Smokehouse, Monroe, Maine. Join Andy Smith of Smith's Smokehouse and delve into the basics of charcuterie through a series of four workshops. Learn how to create your own charcuterie goods, and potential business, and then dig deep into a variety of curing processes including bacon, bresaola, beef jerky and more! Don't forget to register for this course, we only have 10 spots available. The complete series is $350 for MOFGA members and $400 for non-members. Each session will take place at Smith's Smokehouse; bring your own lunch. If you have any questions, email Anna Mueller at events@mofga.org. Details and registration.

(Snow date: Feb. 12) Belfast, Maine. Maine Farm to Institution (MEFTI) and the Maine Farm to School Network (MFSN) and their many partners are pleased to announce the first Maine Farm to Institution Summit. Registration and information: https://www.mainefarmtoinstitution.org/about-the-summit/

Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosted by Coastal Enterprises Inc., 30 Federal St., Brunswick, Maine. Full-day workshop designed to help established and beginning farmers understand the financials of their business and learn how to make informed decisions to increase profits. Instructor Julia Shanks is the author of "The Farmer's Office: Tools, Tips and Templates to Successfully Manage a Growing Farm Business." $100 per person; $135 for two people coming from the same farm. Scholarships available. Information and registration.